Tissue localization and chromosomal assignment of a serum protein that tracks the cystic fibrosis gene

The basic gene defect in the autosomal recessive disorder cystic fibrosis has not been identified, and no firm linkage of the disorder to any other marker has been reported. However, a serum protein abnormality present in unaffected heterozygotes as well as in affected homozygotes has been described, and immunological quantitation of this protein, termed cystic fibrosis antigen, allows the three genotypes to be distinguished. We show here that an immunologically indistinguishable protein is present at high concentrations in granulocytes from normal and cystic fibrosis individuals as well as in myeloid leukaemia cells. Somatic cell hybrids between the mouse myeloid stem-cell line WEHI-TG and myeloid leukaemia cells express cystic fibrosis antigen only when human chromosome I is present.     

PCR-based approaches for identification of multi-copy transgene integration sites in mouse genome

Transgenic mice have become one of the most im- portant resources in studying gene functions in vivo since the technology was established in the 1980s[1―3]. So far, most of the transgenic mice were generated by DNA microinjection into fertilized eggs, in…     

Expression of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator corrects defective chloride channel regulation in cystic fibrosis airway epithelial cells.

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) was expressed in cultured cystic fibrosis airway epithelial cells and Cl- channel activation assessed in single cells using a fluorescence microscopic assay and the patch-clamp technique. Expression of CFTR, but not of a mutant form of CFTR (delta F508), corrected the Cl- channel defect. Correction of the phenotypic defect demonstrates a causal relationship between mutations in the CFTR gene and defective Cl- transport which is the hallmark of the disease.     

Mice deficient for Rb are nonviable and show defects in neurogenesis and haematopoiesis.

The retinoblastoma gene, a prototypic tumour-suppressor gene, encodes a nuclear phosphoprotein (Rb). To understand better the role of Rb in development and in tumorigenesis, mice with an insertional mutation in exon 20 of the Rb-1 locus were generated. Homozygous mutants die before the 16th embryonic day with multiple defects. The haematopoietic system is abnormal; there is a significant increase in the number of immature nucleated erythrocytes. In the nervous system, ectopic mitoses and massive cell death are found, particularly in the hindbrain. All spinal ganglion cells die, but the neural retina is unaffected. Transfer of the human retinoblastoma (RB) mini-transgene into the mutant mice corrects the developmental defects. Thus, Rb is essential for normal mouse development.     

Quorum-sensing signals indicate that cystic fibrosis lungs are infected with bacterial biofilms

The bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa permanently colonizes cystic fibrosis lungs despite aggressive antibiotic treatment. This suggests that P. aeruginosa might exist as biofilms--structured communities of bacteria encased in a self-produced polymeric matrix--in the cystic fibrosis lung. Consistent with this hypothesis, microscopy of cystic fibrosis sputum shows that P. aeruginosa are in biofilm-like structures. P. aeruginosa uses extracellular quorum-sensing signals (extracellular chemical signals that cue cell-density-dependent gene expression) to coordinate biofilm formation. Here we found that cystic fibrosis sputum produces the two principal P. aeruginosa quorum-sensing signals; however, the relative abundance of these signals was opposite to that of the standard P. aeruginosa strain PAO1 in laboratory broth culture. When P. aeruginosa sputum isolates were grown in broth, some showed quorum-sensing signal ratios like those of the laboratory strain. When we grew these isolates and PAO1 in a laboratory biofilm model, the signal ratios were like those in cystic fibrosis sputum. Our data support the hypothesis that P. aeruginosa are in a biofilm in cystic fibrosis sputum. Moreover, quorum-sensing signal profiling of specific P. aeruginosa strains may serve as a biomarker in screens to identify agents that interfere with biofilm development.     

A candidate for the cystic fibrosis locus isolated by selection for methylation-free islands

A genomic sequence close to the cystic fibrosis locus with the characteristics of an HTF island has been selectively cloned and characterized. Two markers flanking this sequence, which is conserved throughout mammalian evolution, show a very much greater disequilibrium than that found with any existing marker. A single mutational event accounts for most cases of cystic fibrosis. The sequence is expressed, and is a candidate for the cystic fibrosis gene.     

Structural model of ATP-binding proteins associated with cystic fibrosis, multidrug resistance and bacterial transport

The ATP-binding cassette (ABC) superfamily of transport systems now includes over thirty proteins that share extensive sequence similarity and domain organization. This superfamily includes the well characterized periplasmic binding protein-dependent uptake systems of prokaryotes, bacterial exporters, and eukaryotic proteins including the P-glycoprotein associated with multidrug resistance in tumours (MDR), the STE6 gene product that mediates export of yeast a-factor mating pheromone, pfMDR that is implicated in chloroquine resistance of the malarial parasite, and the product of the cystic fibrosis gene (CFTR). Here we present a tertiary structure model of the ATP-binding cassettes characteristic of this class of transport system, based on similarities between the predicted secondary structures of members of this family and the previously determined structure of adenylate kinase. This model has implications for both the molecular basis of transport and cystic fibrosis and provides a framework for further experimentation.     

多基因突变小鼠模型与动脉粥样硬化研究

目前己知人类有近 2 0 0 0 0种疾病 ,其发生与发展都与基因受损有着直接或间接的关系 ,其中相当一部分疾病的发病涉及到两个以上的基因功能异常。动脉粥样硬化 (AS)、肥胖、糖尿病、高血压等多基因疑难疾病是目前严重影响人类健康的重大疾病。在AS的发病过程中 ,血脂代谢异常是其重要原因之一。在载脂蛋白E(apoE)通过与低密度脂蛋白受体 (LDLR)和乳糜微粒受体的特异性结合 ,介导血浆脂蛋白的转运与清除 ,在脂质的代谢中起着非常重要的作用。瘦素受体 (OB R)在体内介导瘦素的信号传导 ,调节能量代谢与平衡与肥胖以及血脂代谢有关。通过…     

Chloride and potassium channels in cystic fibrosis airway epithelia

Cystic fibrosis, the most common lethal genetic disease in Caucasians, is characterized by a decreased permeability in sweat gland duct and airway epithelia. In sweat duct epithelium, a decreased Cl- permeability accounts for the abnormally increased salt content of sweat. In airway epithelia a decreased Cl- permeability, and possibly increased sodium absorption, may account for the abnormal respiratory tract fluid. The Cl- impermeability has been localized to the apical membrane of cystic fibrosis airway epithelial cells. The finding that hormonally regulated Cl- channels make the apical membrane Cl- permeable in normal airway epithelial cells suggested abnormal Cl- channel function in cystic fibrosis. Here we report that excised, cell-free patches of membrane from cystic fibrosis epithelial cells contain Cl- channels that have the same conductive properties as Cl- channels from normal cells. However, Cl- channels from cystic fibrosis cells did not open when they were attached to the cell. These findings suggest defective regulation of Cl- channels in cystic fibrosis epithelia; to begin to address this issue, we performed two studies. First, we found that isoprenaline, which stimulates Cl- secretion, increases cellular levels of cyclic AMP in a similar manner in cystic fibrosis and non-cystic fibrosis epithelial cells. Second, we show that adrenergic agonists open calcium-activated potassium channels, indirectly suggesting that calcium-dependent stimulus-response coupling is intact in cystic fibrosis. These data suggest defective regulation of Cl- channels at a site distal to cAMP accumulation.     

Chloride impermeability in cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis is the most common fatal genetic disease affecting caucasians and is perhaps best characterized as an exocrinopathy involving a disturbance in fluid and electrolyte transport. A high NaCl concentration in the sweat is characteristic of patients with this disease; the basic physiological reason for this abnormality is unknown. We have microperfused isolated sweat ducts from control subjects and cystic fibrosis patients, and report here results which suggest that abnormally low Cl- permeability in cystic fibrosis leads to poor reabsorption of NaCl in the sweat duct, and hence to a high concentration of NaCl in the sweat.     

Cancer gene discovery in solid tumours using transposon-based somatic mutagenesis in the mouse

Retroviruses, acting as somatic cell insertional mutagens, have been widely used to identify cancer genes in the haematopoietic system and mammary gland. An insertional mutagen for use in other mouse somatic cells would facilitate the identification of genes involved in tumour formation in a wider variety of tissues. Here we report the ability of the Sleeping Beauty transposon to act as a somatic insertional mutagen to identify genes involved in solid tumour formation. A Sleeping Beauty transposon, engineered to elicit loss-of-function or gain-of-function mutations, transposed in all somatic tissues tested and accelerated tumour formation in mice predisposed to cancer. Cloning transposon insertion sites from these tumours revealed the presence of common integration sites, at known and candidate cancer genes, similar to those observed in retroviral mutagenesis screens. Sleeping Beauty is a new tool for unbiased, forward genetic screens for cancer genes in vivo.     

四氯化碳诱导近交系C57BL/6小鼠建立肝纤维化模型

目的 比较不同剂量四氯化碳诱导近交系C57BL/6小鼠肝纤维化模型的效果,以建立稳定的肝纤维化模型。方法 选择5周龄的C57BL/6近交系小鼠,分别腹腔注射给予高、中、低剂量的四氯化碳诱导肝纤维化,实验结束后取血及肝脏组织,检测血浆丙氨酸转氨酶(ALT)、天冬氨酸转氨酶(AST)的水平及肝脏病理变化。结果 近交系C57BL/6小鼠药物诱导后,各剂量组动物均能存活到8周,高剂量组存活率仅为20%远低于中、低组;血清转氨酶含量升高程度、肝组织病理改变存在剂量时间效应关系。病理分析表明,各剂量组均可见肝细胞变性/坏死、中央静脉周围/汇管区混合细胞浸润及肝脏纤维化。结论 10%四氯化碳给药8周后能诱导近交系C57BL/6小鼠形成较稳定的肝纤维小鼠模型,为后续肝纤维化机制研究及药物筛选工作奠定了基础。     

小鼠基因敲除的研究进展

随着人类基因组计划(HGP)的顺利完成,后基因时代的生物学研究迫切需要一种有效的基因功能分析方法。基因敲除小鼠模型的应用,为研究基因的功能和寻找新的治疗人类疾病的干预措施提供了有力支持。基因打靶和基因捕获是两种不同的通过胚胎干细胞(ES细胞)制作基因敲除小鼠的技术。基因捕获具有高通量、随机性、序列标记等特点,而基因打靶则是针对特定基因的敲除。自基因打靶和基因捕获小鼠首次亮相距今已有近20年的时间。近年来,针对基因打靶和基因捕获的新工具不断涌现,并且相应的组织也已经成立。这些组织能够利用这两种方法敲除小鼠基因组中的基因。国际基因捕获协会(The International Gene Trap Consortium,IGTC)和基因敲除小鼠计划(The Knockout Mouse Project,KOMP)已着手创建世界范围内用于科研的便利资源,并且计划敲除所有小鼠的基因。KOMP的组织者认为这与HGP一样具有重要意义。从传统的基因打靶到现在的高通量的条件基因打靶,基因打靶的方法已经发生了很大的变化。捕获和打靶两者的组合优势大大提升了基因捕获的范围和基因打靶的效率。作为一种新开发的插入式突变系统,转座子在捕获基因方面比逆转录病毒更具有优势。国际基因敲除小鼠协会(The International Knockout Mouse Consortium,IKMC)的出现标志着全球性合作的开始。该组织致力于系统地敲除小鼠基因组中所有基因,进而开展功能基因组的研究。     

卵巢切除小鼠冠状动脉封堵诱导心肌梗塞模型的建立与评估

摘要:目的 建立模拟绝经后妇女发生心肌梗塞( MI) 的小鼠模型。 方法 将雌性小鼠卵巢切除( OVX) 后进行左冠状动脉前降支封堵诱导心肌梗塞发生;通过超声、血流动力学、形态学分析、免疫组织化学和 TUNEL 染色评估小鼠心脏功能和心肌梗塞面积的变化及心肌纤维化的程度。 结果 卵巢切除联合心肌梗塞可加重心脏功能受损,显著增加心肌纤维化和心肌梗塞面积,可诱导细胞凋亡和 TGF-β1 表达,血清中促炎细胞因子 TNF-α 和 IL-10 水平显著增加。 结论 成功建立模拟绝经后女性发生 MI 的小鼠模型,并对其功能和组织学特征进行评估。     

Phosphorylation-regulated Cl- channel in CHO cells stably expressing the cystic fibrosis gene.

A cyclic AMP-stimulated chloride conductance appears when the cystic fibrosis gene is expressed in non-epithelial cells by infection with recombinant viruses. Cyclic AMP-stimulated conductance in this system is mediated by the same ohmic, low-conductance Cl- channel as in human secretory epithelia, but control of this channel by phosphorylation has not been directly demonstrated. Here we report the appearance of the low-conductance Cl- channel in Chinese hamster ovary cells after stable transfection with the cystic fibrosis gene. The channel is regulated on-cell by membrane-permeant analogues of cAMP and off-cell by protein kinases A and C and by alkaline phosphatase. These results are further evidence that the cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator is a Cl- channel which can be activated by specific phosphorylation events and inactivated by dephosphorylation; they reveal an unsuspected synergism between converging kinase regulatory pathways.     

The deubiquitinase USP9X suppresses pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) remains a lethal malignancy despite much progress concerning its molecular characterization. PDA tumours harbour four signature somatic mutations in addition to numerous lower frequency genetic events of uncertain significance. Here we use Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposon-mediated insertional mutagenesis in a mouse model of pancreatic ductal preneoplasia to identify genes that cooperate with oncogenic Kras(G12D) to accelerate tumorigenesis and promote progression. Our screen revealed new candidate genes for PDA and confirmed the importance of many genes and pathways previously implicated in human PDA. The most commonly mutated gene was the X-linked deubiquitinase Usp9x, which was inactivated in over 50% of the tumours. Although previous work had attributed a pro-survival role to USP9X in human neoplasia, we found instead that loss of Usp9x enhances transformation and protects pancreatic cancer cells from anoikis. Clinically, low USP9X protein and messenger RNA expression in PDA correlates with poor survival after surgery, and USP9X levels are inversely associated with metastatic burden in advanced disease. Furthermore, chromatin modulation with trichostatin A or 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine elevates USP9X expression in human PDA cell lines, indicating a clinical approach for certain patients. The conditional deletion of Usp9x cooperated with Kras(G12D) to accelerate pancreatic tumorigenesis in mice, validating their genetic interaction. We propose that USP9X is a major tumour suppressor gene with prognostic and therapeutic relevance in PDA.     

Germ-line transmission of genes introduced into cultured pluripotential cells by retroviral vector

Embryonic stem cells isolated directly from mouse embryos can be cultured for long periods in vitro and subsequently repopulate the germ line in chimaeric mice. During the culture period these embryonic cells are accessible for experimental genetic manipulation. Here we report the use of retroviral vectors to introduce exogenous DNA sequences into a stem-cell line and show that these modified cells contribute extensively to the somatic and germ-cell lineages in chimaeric mice. Compared with current methods for manipulation of the mouse genome, this approach has the advantage that powerful somatic-cell genetic techniques can be used to modify and to select cells with germ-line potential, allowing the derivation of transgenic strains with pre-determined genetic changes. We have by this means inserted many proviral vector sequences that provide new chromosomal molecular markers for linkage studies in the mouse and that also may cause insertional mutations.     

Mapping of mutation causing Friedreich's ataxia to human chromosome 9

Friedreich's ataxia is an autosomal recessive disease with progressive degeneration of the central and peripheral nervous system. The biochemical abnormality underlying the disorder has not been identified. Prompted by the success in localizing the mutations causing Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Huntington's disease and cystic fibrosis, we have undertaken molecular genetic linkage studies to determine the chromosomal site of the Friedreich's ataxia mutation as an initial step towards the isolation and characterization of the defective gene. We report the assignment of the gene mutation for this disorder to chromosome 9p22-CEN by genetic linkage to an anonymous DNA marker MCT112 and the interferon-beta gene probe. In contrast to the clinical variation seen for the disorder, no evidence of genetic heterogeneity is observed.     

A closely linked genetic marker for cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis is a recessive genetic disorder, characterized clinically by chronic obstructive lung disease, pancreatic insufficiency and elevated sweat electrolytes; affected individuals rarely live past their early twenties. Cystic fibrosis is also one of the most common genetic diseases in the northern European population. The frequency of carriers of mutant alleles in some populations is estimated to be as high as 1 in 20, carrying a concomitant burden of about one affected child in 1,500 births. Because little is known of the essential biochemical defect caused by the mutant gene, a genetic linkage approach based on arbitrary genetic markers and family studies is indicated to determine the chromosomal location of the cystic fibrosis (CF) gene. We have now obtained evidence for tight linkage between the CF locus and a DNA sequence polymorphism at the met oncogene locus. This evidence, combined with the physical localization data for the met locus presented in the accompanying paper, places the CF locus in the middle third of the long arm of chromosome 7, probably between bands q21 and q31.     

Control of CFTR chloride conductance by ATP levels through non-hydrolytic binding.

Site-specific mutation and membrane reconstitution experiments provide compelling evidence that the product of the gene which is at fault in the disease cystic fibrosis, termed the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), is a small-conductance chloride channel activated by phosphorylation. As transport of chloride ions is passive, the predicted presence of two nucleotide-binding domains in CFTR seems as puzzling as a report that ATP hydrolysis is essential to activate the channel. We now find that in the sweat duct, which expresses high levels of CFTR and has a very high Cl- conductance, intracellular concentrations of ATP must be about normal (5 mM) for activation of this conductance, apparently by a non-hydrolytic, perhaps allosteric, mechanism. This passive dependence on ATP should mean that even a modest depletion of cell energy levels will significantly lower the energy demands of electrolyte transport by decreasing chloride conductance. We believe this direct coupling between cellular ATP levels and chloride channel activity is an adaptive mechanism to protect the tissue from damage resulting from excessive energy depletion.